Fish-hook releaser.



y PATENTED FEB. 1c, 1903. J. HALLIRAN. -PISH 1100K RBLEASBR. APPLICATIONFILED HIAY 5, 1902.

H0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HALLIRAN, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

FISH-HOOK RELEASER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 720,136, dated February10, 1903.

Application led May 5, 1902. Serial No.106,001. (No model.)

To LZZ whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, JOHN HALLIRAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and Stateof Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fish-HookReleasers,

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in fish-hook releasers, and itsobject is to provide means whereby a fish-hook may be released when thesame is caught in any obstruction and to provide the same with certainnew and useful features hereinafter more fully described, andparticularly pointed out, in the claims.

My invention consists, essentially, in a heavy body or weight,preferably of metal, adapted to be attached to a sh-line and to'traverse the same by gravity, and a suitable line or cord attached tothe said weight, by which the weight may be drawn upward on thefish-line and allowed again to traverse the same, whereby a series ofblows may be delivered upon the hook if necessary to release the same,as will more fully appear by reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure l is a perspective illustrating the operation of mydevice; Fig. 2, an enlarged detail of the weight in side elevation; Fig.3, the same, showing the opposite side thereof; Fig. 4:, a perspectiveof the same, and Fig. 5 a transverse section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Like let-ters refer to like parts in all of the figures.

A represents a fish hook attached to a sunken log; B, a tubular weightadapted to slide down the line C and pass over the sinker thereon.

D is a second line attached to the weight B, whereby the same may bedrawn up along the iish-line C and allowed to descend as often as may benecessary to release the hook A.

To readily attach and detach the weight B to the line C, said weight isprovided with an opening E in its side, extending from end to endthereof. To render the weight less liable to become detached, this slotis made spiral.

The direction of the spiral is also reversed near the middle of theweight, and at one end of the weight and in line with the uncut portionof the weight is an eye F to attach the line D. The portion of theweight inline with this eye being undivided bythe slot E is adapted todeliver a moreforcible blow when it strikes the hook A than ifit weremore yielding by dividing the same.

I Vdo not limit my `invention to the specific means forV attaching theweight to the line. Obviously various modifications may be adoptedwithout departing from the invention.

By the foregoing description the operation of my device will be readilyunderstood. Whenever by any chance the hook A becomes engaged with anyobstacle, the line C, at-

or opening E into the interior of the tubular weight B, which weightwill then slide down the line C and passing over the sinker attached tothe same will strike against the bent portion of the hook A close to itspoint of engagement with the obstruction, and thus release the hook.Should the lirst blow be insuflicient to release the hook, the weight Bcan be drawn up the line C by means of the cord D and again sent down asoften as may be necessary until the hook is hammered loose thereby.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Means for releasing a fish-hook, consisting of a weight adapted to betemporarily and detachably connected to the fish-line, and to slide downthe same and to pass over the sinker and strike against the hook,substantiallyas described.

2. A weight for re easing a fish-hook, consisting of a tubular bodyhaving an opening larger than the sinker and a slot or opening in itsside and extending from end to end thereof, whereby the weight may betempo rarily attached to a lfish-line and allowed to traverse the same,substantially as described.

3. A weight for releasing a fish-hook, consisting of a tubular bodyhaving a central opening larger than the sinker and a spiral slotextending from end to end thereof-,wheretached to the same, is passedthrough the slot 7o ICO by the weight may be temporarily attached to aline and allowed to slide down the same and pass oyer the sinker andengage the hook.

4. In combination with a Weight adapted to be attached to a ishline andto traverse the same and to freely pass the sinker and engage the hook,a cord attached to the Weight, whereby the weight may be drawn up andallowed to retraverse the line, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a tubular Weight having a spiral opening extendingfrom end to end thereof and a cord attached to the Weight, substantiallyas described.

G. A Weight for releasing a fish-hook, consisting of a tubularbodyhavinga spiral open-

